New American Leaders: Director of Communications or Senior Director of Communications

LOCATION

SALARY

COMPANY

DEPARTMENT

EMPLOYMENT TYPE

JOB DESCRIPTION

Reports To: Chief Operation Officer

Position Location: Remote

Position Type: Full-time, exempt

Compensation: $80,000 to $100,000 (commensurate with experience)

About NAL/AF:

New American Leaders ****(NAL) and New American Leaders Action Fund (NALAF) are working in tandem to build an inclusive democracy by preparing first and second-generation immigrants and refugees to run for office, win their campaigns, and lead in elected office. We are the only organizations preparing New Americans to enter the political process and govern with accountability and authenticity. As a result, more New Americans will run for office, engage their communities, turn out new voters, and ultimately serve as values-aligned leaders in office who can advance just and equitable policies. 

About the Role:

As a key member of the senior management team and reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Communications is the key driver of NAL/AF’s communications strategy and success. You'll be actively involved in NAL/AF’s strategic planning process to envision the future for the next era of our communications work to elevate our leaders. You’ll manage a department of 2 full time staff and a part-time research fellow to further NAL’s brand reputation and recognition and publish original research on the landscape impacting New American Leaders. You’ll ensure NAL/AF's diverse and integrated communication products and services: newsletters, print publications, website management, online communications, and media and public relations efforts are effective mediums for amplifying NAL’s core messages and growing our audience. In addition, you’ll be one of the ambassadors of NAL/AF and cultivate relationships with the media to ensure NAL/AF can receive the spotlight it deserves to reach new supporters nationwide. 

What You Will Do:

Communications Strategy, Vision, and Leadership (25%): 

This role is the key driver of NAL/AF’s Communications strategy and narrative aligned with our mission. To be successful in this role, you will:

Build the Communications strategy and work plan, implement it, and monitor its progress:

• Develop an integrated strategic communications plan to advance NAL/AF's brand identity, increase program awareness, and boost visibility across key stakeholder audiences

• Establish short and long range departmental goals, objectives, policies and operating procedures; monitor and evaluate program effectiveness, enact changes required for improvement

• Work across all departments to identify metrics and stories needed to strengthen communications, fundraising, and general marketing

Expand NAL’s national profile and narrative 

• Create a public relations strategy that will allow NAL/AF leadership to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted, high-level external audiences, including the media and key influencers

• Develop and refine NAL/AF's core messages for organizational consistency

• Recommend opportunities to leverage NAL/AF positions and overall brand in policy and advocacy spaces. Work with key partners and identify strategic partnerships for NAL/AF

• Identify media, public policy issues, challenges, and emerging issues to support NAL/AF's work. Collaborate with the leadership team to create plans and strategies, and execute them to leverage opportunities and deepen impact

• Actively engage, cultivate and manage press relationships to ensure coverage surrounding NAL/AF programs, special events, public announcements, and other projects

• Serve as a communications coach to NAL/AF staff and leadership to prepare us for media interactions 

Communications Operations (35%): 

This role oversees the daily operations of all communications components, including media relations, digital campaigns, message research and development, and content creation. In the day-to-day of NAL’s communications department, you will:

• Manage the organization’s external communications, including op-ed and statement creation, speech writing, talking points creation, partner communications campaigns, website strategy, and other communications materials as needed; supervises social media strategy and content creation, media management

• Refine and manage a story banking system to leverage different voices across the NAL/AF network

• Manage day-to-day communications activities, including budgeting and program planning

• Manage organizational response to inquiries from partners, the media, and other external organizations

• Assist other departments on key events and partnerships

Research (25%): Publishing original research to advance New Americans' ability to participate and lead in American democracy is a cornerstone of our public voice. The Communications Director is a key thought partner and manager of a team dedicated to data-driven analysis to drive this work.

• Serve as a lead and thought partner with the Executive Team on developing new and unique research projects that further the work and mission of NAL/AF. Manage the research for at least two original research projects and publications per year. 

• Manage a PhD research fellow and research assistants to provide strategic direction for their research portfolios, as well as professional mentorship and growth

• Develop and implement a strategic research plan to advance publication of original research. Draft and fact check written products for publication, including reports, fact sheets, blog posts, and other written materials

• Work with NAL/AF program team partners and external partners to assess existing research gaps, update prior analyses, and develop and execute new quantitative and qualitative research projects that further the work and mission of the NAL/AF while documenting quality data standards and practices

• Represent NAL/AF in coalitions and work with partner organizations on collaborative research projects

• Identify research funding opportunities and work with the development team to support research fundraising efforts

Team Development/Management (15%):

• Recruit and manage a communications team to support the development and execution of the communications strategy

• Supervise staff to ensure communications (e.g., social media, e-blasts, website, etc.) are consistent and on message

• Mentor and develop staff using a supportive and collaborative approach on a consistent basis

• Establish and monitor staff performance and development goals, assign accountabilities, set objectives, establish priorities, monitor deadlines, and conduct annual performance appraisals

Who You Are:

To be successful in this position you will have a combination of the following experience and qualities within the role:

• Program conception, planning, and execution: You have experience and a track record of conceiving strategy and overseeing implementation for a team, function, program, or project. You have taken a concept from idea to execution with success.

• Strong writing: You have a demonstrated mastery of writing compelling content for a variety of media, including press releases and press advisories, emails, social content, and website content. You are able to learn, internalize, and incorporate the NAL “voice” and tone into your written work.

• Ability to earn press coverage: You have a track record of earning press coverage. You know and can do what it takes to get press to cover the story you’re pitching, from writing a compelling press release/advisory, to making compelling tailored pitch calls to each reporter or outlet, and providing follow-up information to reporters to increase the likelihood of earning press coverage.

• Mission aligned: You have a demonstrated cultural awareness and sensitivity to the needs of immigrant communities, with a commitment to building an inclusive democracy

• Vision, Ownership, and a Drive to Achieve Results: You develop your vision and plan and take it upon yourself to figure out how to get it done. You do what you need to do to ensure you achieve the goals in your realm, including being open with your manager about where you need help, anticipating problems, brainstorming solutions, driving work forward, and course-correcting where needed. While you lean on your own manager for support, you do not require super-hands-on supervision in order to keep the work moving forward.

• Always Bringing the Communications Angle: You are a stickler for message discipline, always ensuring the way NAL/AF presents itself externally is aligned with a cohesive and consistent message. You are always on the lookout for opportunities to use communications to enhance other aspects of the organization, and for ways to frame NAL’s work in ways that will raise its profile online or in the press.

• Inclusive Leadership: While you have a clear vision, you also value and actively seek out ideas, feedback, and perspectives of the staff you work with. You recognize that divergent perspectives can strengthen the work, and that staff members may bring ideas you hadn’t thought of. Because you hold this value, you make it a habit to include others in your planning and decision-making. At the same time, you recognize that making decisions others might disagree with is part of leadership, and when you do, you do so confidently and explain your rationale around the decision.

• Organizational Stewardship and Collaboration: You center the mission and goals of the organization in all the decisions you make. You foster collaboration across teams to ensure all projects and programs are in sync and complementary to one another. You proactively identify and solve situations where programs or staff “step on each other’s toes,” reach a stalemate, or otherwise struggle to collaborate with one another.

• Coaching and Learning Mentality: You take the time to teach and offer useful and actionable feedback. You expect that people will make mistakes (including yourself) and see those as opportunities for learning. You seek and engage well with constructive feedback.

• Relational: You build authentic relationships with others (colleagues, external partners, journalists, and other stakeholders) based on mutual trust and respect. You are able to do so across lines of difference (such as race, ethnicity, status, sexual orientation, ability, or gender identity).

Compensation and Benefits: 

At NAL/AF, we believe in investing in our employees' well-being and professional growth. Our comprehensive benefits are designed to support you in achieving a healthy work-life balance, maintaining your health, and advancing your career.

NAL/AF offers a competitive salary, benefits, and leave policies. The salary range for this position is $80,000-$100,000, commensurate with experience. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:

• 20 days of vacation plus a winter holiday break

• Full coverage health insurance options for medical, dental, and vision

• Vanguard 401K plan with a 5% match (eligible after 3 months)

• Health care flexible spending account plan

• Dependent care flexible spending account plan

• Life insurance and personal accident insurance

• Voluntary short-term and long-term disability insurance

• Monthly telecommunications stipend

• Annual work-from-home stipend

• Annual professional development stipend